Victor Oladipo recently opened up about the harsh reality of NBA trades during an episode of the ‘OGs’ podcast, recalling how the Oklahoma City Thunder traded him right after he bought a house. The story offers a glimpse into the unpredictable business side of professional basketball and how even players like Oladipo, who was a rising star at the time, can be blindsided by organizational decisions.
“Yeah, I got traded from OKC. Didn’t even know. They ain’t tell me just… I just bought a crib. Told them I was buying a crib.”
“I got traded twice in one year. So I got to, I got to recall. You went from OKC to Indiana? I went from Orlando to OKC. OKC to Indiana. Within a year, I had to move three times.”
“One of the times, well, actually both times, excuse me. So both times. So the first time I found out, I was on a plane and I was going home and I didn’t know.”
“And then when I landed, I just turned on my phone and I just was getting, bee, bee, bee, bee, bee, bee, bee, bee, bee, bee, bee, they were just saying I just got traded to OKC.”
“And then I got traded again and I was on a plane and didn’t know till I landed from OKC to Indy.”
Victor Oladipo described the frustration and disbelief he felt after learning he had been traded shortly after committing to a home in Oklahoma City. Despite informing the team of his personal plans and investing in a house, the Thunder moved him without warning.
This trade was part of a whirlwind period for Oladipo, who found himself moving between teams frequently early in his career. He was initially drafted by the Orlando Magic with the second overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, and after three years in Florida, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
There, Oladipo was expected to play a key role alongside Russell Westbrook, especially after Kevin Durant’s departure to the Golden State Warriors. However, despite his potential and the team’s expectations, his time in OKC was brief.
Oladipo revealed that he found out about the trade while he was on a plane, disconnected from any communication. He detailed how, on both occasions, he only discovered the trades after landing and turning on his phone, seeing a flood of notifications alerting him to the fact that his future was unexpectedly uprooted.
The second trade, from OKC to the Indiana Pacers, ultimately set Oladipo on a path where he would shine as a star in the NBA, especially during his All-Star season in Indiana. However, at the time, the repeated relocations were disorienting, especially since he was still trying to establish himself in the league.
The abrupt nature of his trade to Indiana, again without prior knowledge, illustrated how little control players sometimes have over their careers, regardless of their personal circumstances or investment in their current team.
Oladipo’s story reflects the cold reality of the NBA as a business. While players often give their all on the court and build lives in the cities they represent, trades can happen with little notice or concern for the personal impacts on players. His experience serves as a reminder that professional athletes, despite their fame and fortune, can face sudden and disruptive changes that are out of their control.
Though Oladipo’s time in Oklahoma City was short, the experience of being traded immediately after purchasing a house added another layer of complexity to his journey. As he continues his career, his candidness about the personal challenges that come with life in the NBA offers a more human perspective on the professional basketball world.
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